Religious device



Juiy H, 1950 R. F. BRENNAN RELIGIOUS DEVICE Filed April 27, 1948 JCITTORNEYS INVEN TOR: RqgnzondFBrenn an Patented July 11, 1950 RELIGIOUS DEVICE Raymond Francis Brennan, Attleboro, Mass.

Application April 27, 1948, Serial No. 23,488

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a composite dual cross structure for ecclesiastical display purposes and consists in improved means for connecting a pair of cross members either in superposed relationship or with one member erected in upright position on the other member.

One object of the invention is to provide a cross structure comprising a base member in the shape of a Latin cross and a second similarlyshaped cross member adapted to overlie said base member in face-to-face relationship or to be erected in upright position on the base member.

Another object is to provide means for slidably connecting the two cross members in contiguous superposed relationship with the upper member forming a tightly fitting cover for an opening or cavity in the base member serving as a receptacle for containing religious articles used for worship and in administering the sacraments of the church.

Another object is to provide telescopically-arranged means for connecting and supporting the upper cross member in upright position on the base member.

Further objects of the invention are set forth in the following specification which describes a preferred form of construction of the cross members and their connecting means as illustrated by the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a top plan view showing the two cross members assembled in connected relationship, one superimposed on the other;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the upper cross member erected in upright position on the base member;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing the slidable connection between the upper cross member and the base member;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the base member showing the upper member in fragmentary view as superimposed thereon and illustrating the telescopic connecting means for use in erecting the upper member on the base member as partly telescoped within said upper member; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the base member showing a portion of the upper cross and illustrating the telescopic connecting means as operative to sustain the upper member in erect position.

Various articles of the present type have heretofore been devised for use by the laity and clergy for purposes of worship and in administering the sacraments of the church; for example, as a sick-call, so-called. In most of these prior devices the upper cross member is adapted to be attached in overlying relation to the base member by extraneous means, such as snap fasteners, headed studs and other interlocking devices which project above the base member and are unsightly when the upper cross member is erected in upright position thereon. It is therefore one object of'the present invention to provide improved means for connecting the upper cross member with the base member in either overlying or erect position thereon without projections or other obtrusively visible fastening devices on either of the display members of the cross.

Referring to. the present drawing, the base member 2 is of the usual shape of a Latin cross comprising a longitudinally-extending body portion 3 with arms 4 and 5 projecting laterally therefrom. The terminal portions of the body member 3 and lateral arms 4 and 5 may be of ornamental contour, for example, carved to form scalloped or fluted ends 6 and I as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, for the sake of ornamenting the structure. The body 3 of the base member 2 may be formed with a longitudinally-extending cavity 8 for storing religious articles such as a pair of candles, a container for ointment, a vial for holy water and other ecclesiastical accessories. The opposite arms of the cross may be formed with circular recesses 9 for holding candles I0, indicated by dash lines in Fig. 2.

The upper cross 12 may conform generally to the shape of the base member 2, preferably of thinner section, and being ornamented in any suitable manner with its edges chamfered or rounded as shown at l3 in Fig. 3. The main body IA. of the cross [2 is grooved longitudinally on its sides at [5 to provide splines or runners l6 adapted for engagement with grooves H extending along the inner sides of the cavity 8 in the base member 2 and continued therebeyond to the end thereof. As shown in Fig. 3, this interengaging formation of the upper cross I2 and the base member 2 provides a tongue-and-groove connection between the two members when they are placed in superposed relationship by sliding the upper cross along the body 3 of the base member in the manner of closing the cover of a box. Thus, a closely fitting and substantially tight connection is effected between the upper cross [2 and the base member 2 when the upper member is assembled in superposed position on the base member as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The upper cross l2 thus forms a cover for the recess or cavity 8 in the base member 2 to retain the religious accessories in the depository of the base member without chance of their escape therefrom.

For supporting the upper cross I2 in upright position on the base member 2 a novel form of telescopic connecting means is provided consisting in a pin 20, see Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing. The

pin 2!! slidably'mounted in a:b-ore;2 I in the ,bot-

tom of thebody It cemeuppericross n to adapt its end to project therebelow for insertion in a hole 22 in the end of the base member 2. bore 2| communicates with a substantially circu- The:

lar opening or recess 23 on the rearward si'deof-"- the cross I2 and a crosspin 2s-driven throueh the upper end of the pin is adapted to engage the lower marginal edge of therecesgto prevent" the pin from accidental removal from itsmount- 1 ing in the cross. 7

The telecopic arrangement of the pin 20 adapts it tcbe sli'd'into the endofthe" upper cross I2 to house its" projecting end when the upper cross is superimposed on the base member 2. Referring to Fig. 4, when the upper cross I2 is' slid along the body3 ofthe'basemember 2 with its splines or runners I6 engaged in the grooves I! the projecting end of the pin 29 will strike the end of the cavity '8 to' telescope the pin into the body of the upper cross; thereby concealing the pinfrom view when the upper member "overlies the base member 2 in symmetrical arrangement therewith as shown in Fig.1.

It will'be observed from the foregoing specification and" by referenceto the accompanying drawing that the connecting means between the upper cross I2 and base member 2 of the dual cross'structure are not-obtrusive either when the upper cross is superimposed 'on-the' base member or'elevatedin upright position thereabove. Consequently, the cross structure'has'a more ornamentaland artistic appearance when its parts are'in either arrangement; At'thesam'e time, the

tongue-and-groove engagement between the base member andthe upper cross provides a'most simpleyet efficient holding means therefor when these members-areinsuperposed relationship;besidesserving as a secure closure for the receptacle cavity in the base member: When the cross I2- is erected on the-base"member 2 the holding pin ZII-isalmost completely-hiddenfrom view and thus all the mechanical parts of the structure-are substantially concealed so as to provide a more ornamental and artisticefiect to the device as a whole.

It is to be' understood that'the twocrossmemhere may be ornamented in various ways; the

upper cross serving as a crucifix if desiredpand" membem a pin slidable longitudinally in the lower end. of the upper cross, means to prevent release of said pin, said pin arranged with its projecting and engageable with the end of the cavity in the base-member to cause it to telescope within the upper cross when the latter is placed in superimposed relation on the base member, and. a hole in the "base member engageable by the projecting end of the pin in the upper cross for supporting the latter in upright position on" the lower member.

2. A composite cross structure'of the type indi-' cated comprising a cross-shaped base member having a vertical hole at one end, an upper cross adapted to overlie the topof'th base member in" symmetrical relation thereto, tongue-and-- grooveformationsonthe longitudinal sides of the base member and upper cross for slidably connecting the upper cross in superimposed positi-on'on' the base member,- a pin slidable in a longitudinal bore at the lower end of th uppercross, the upper en'd'of said pin being received in a-recessin the'uppe'ncross when telescoped withinits bore, detentmeansonthe pin engagea-ble with the" edge of the recess to prevent release of the pin from'its' bore, andahole in the base member for receiving the projecting end of the pin" when" the "latter" isslid" downwardly by gravity whereby to eng-age'the'pin with the hole for supporting the upper cross in erect position,

on the base member.

RAYMOND FRANCIS BRENNAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references areoi file of this patent? UNITED STATES PATENTS Number- Name Date 358,450 Hurlbut- Mar. 1, 1887 9081338" Sheble eta1 Dec. 29, 1908 1 ,009,238 Gofiin" Nov; 21, 1911 2,347,681 Goudreau 'May"2, 1944 2,358,558 Brennan Sept. 19, 1944 record" in the 

